1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a kind of image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus operates in such a manner that it forms an electrostatic latent image on a rotating photoreceptor through irradiating of light onto the photoreceptor by means of an exposure unit, forms a toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor through a supply of toner onto the photoreceptor on which the electrostatic latent image is formed by means of a developing unit, transfers the toner image of the photoreceptor onto a paper by means of a transfer unit, and then forms an image on the paper through pressing and heating of the toner image transferred onto the paper by means of a fusing unit.
In addition, the image forming apparatus may include a plurality of paper sensing units arranged on a conveyance path of the paper, and thus can sense movement of the paper that moves along the paper conveyance path for image forming and grasp the position of the paper jammed due to malfunction.
However, in the case of the paper sensing unit for sensing the paper that passes through the fusing unit, moisture that is evaporated by the fusing unit is condensed on the surface of a sensor, and thus light emission and light reception are not accurately performed to cause the performance of the sensor to deteriorate.
Specifically, the moisture included in the paper and the peripheral portion thereof is evaporated by high-temperature heat that is applied to the paper through the fusing unit, and the evaporated moisture is condensed on peripheral components having a temperature that is relatively lower than that of the fusing unit. In this case, the moisture that is evaporated by the fusing unit may also be condensed on a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion of the paper sensing unit for sensing the paper that passes through the fusing unit, and this may cause the performance of the sensor to deteriorate.
In addition, since the high-temperature heat is generated in the fusing process, the image forming apparatus includes a fan for discharging air in the image forming apparatus to outside.
The fan may be arranged in a specific position inside the image forming apparatus so as to easily discharge the high-temperature and high-humidity air existing around the fusing unit to the outside. Through such an operation of the fan, the high-temperature air and water vapor around the fusing unit flows out of the image forming apparatus through the fusing unit and the paper sensing unit. In this case, since the high-temperature air and water vapor come in direct contact with the sensor of the paper sensing unit, a plurality of water drops may be condensed on the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the sensor, and this may cause the performance of the paper sensing unit to deteriorate.